NFU Mutual has already received hundreds of claims for damage from farmers across the north and north-east of Scotland as well as north-east England.

It is expecting hundreds more claims.

NFU Mutual spokesman Tim Price said: “Initially most of the claims related to collapsed roofs in the north-east of Scotland. But now they are coming from all over Scotland and the north of England. After last year, when there was a great deal of damage to farm shed roofs, it was felt that most of the weaker buildings had gone, but we are now getting claims for all types of buildings, including several quite new large roofs.”

Mr Price said the Mutual's assessors had, in many instances, been unable to get to farms to carry out damage appraisals and fully estimate costs where roofs had collapsed under the weight of snow. The Mutual has received 104 claims in Aberdeenshire alone for fallen buildings. It too has had more than 330 claims separately lodged for damage to agricultural properties caused mainly by burst pipes.

Mr Price said that even if farmers feared their sheds and roofs were under threat of collapsing, they should put safety first and think very carefully about the risks involved in attempting to clear snow and ice off them. The Mutual has two-thirds of Scotland's farmers on its books.

Mr Price added: “We have a major concern that when the thaw does comes there will be far more incidents where water damage has taken place."

He asked all those farmers who may have problems to check at the onset of any thaw so that damage can be limited where there are bursts.

Mr Price also revealed insurance claims relating to vehicle damage had been soaring because of the wintry weather, with tractors and farm vehicles suffering damage due to slippy roads and deep snow.

Last winter, more than 3,000 farm buildings were damaged in the heavy snow, leading to a bill for insurance companies estimated at £30million.